


Talking isn't necessary for me to love you

by NoMatterTheOceans



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: College, F/M, Library
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21523198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoMatterTheOceans/pseuds/NoMatterTheOceans
Summary: Work inspired by Quakeriders' prompt: "you know that your book is upside-down, right?"
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Comments: 13
Kudos: 119





	Talking isn't necessary for me to love you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [quakeriders](https://archiveofourown.org/users/quakeriders/gifts).



_**September** _

Feyre didn’t really like the college library.

Well, that wasn’t true. She liked _her_ part of the library. She liked browsing through the countless books and academic papers about paintings from the sixteenth century. She loved the little booths were you could install your computer and still have space to put down books and papers. And most of all, she loved that one booth in the far left corner, with a window with a view on the small patio in front of her.

She really liked the library, and the books, and the patio. What she didn’t like was the view at the other side of the patio.

Because the library on the other side was the language section, and people there always seemed to work in group, and loudly. She couldn’t even hear them, but still, it annoyed her to see them move around and laugh when she was trying to focus.

But she really liked her little booth on the far left corner, and she didn’t want to give it up, so she kept working there even with the people on the other side of the patio.

**_October_ **

God, that essay was going to kill her.

Sighing loudly, Feyre sat back on her chair and closed her eyes for a second. Just a second. Or maybe it had been a minute. Or more.

She didn’t know how long she’d spent with her eyes closed, but when she opened them, she found a guy smirking at her from the other side of the patio.

She would have frowned, annoyed once again by what she saw there, except her brain didn’t register her annoyance. Because that guy was _gorgeous_.

Short black hair sticking out on his head as if he’d passed his hand in it one too many times, broad shoulders and a strong built, and brown skin that contrasted with striking blue eyes. Eyes she could have lost herself in forever if she let it happen.

But he was still smirking, and it was getting on her nerves. So she crossed her arms on her chest and raised an eyebrow at him, hoping to make him look away. His smile only got bigger.

She saw him look down to grab a pen and paper, and she thought he’d moved on from her when he looked back up and splayed the paper against his window.

_You know your book is upside down, right?_

She stared at the words for way too long, and finally looked down to her desk, realizing the book she’d pulled up against the window was indeed upside down. She’d been studying a detail in a painting and had needed to see it that way.

She grabbed a pen and started writing a very lengthy explanation about her thought process, but stopped herself midway. Why was she justifying herself to him? She didn’t know him and didn’t care what he thought about her. So she grabbed another paper and wrote quickly before putting it on the window.

_I do. You know libraries are meant to study, right?_

She saw him laugh, and he answered almost immediately.

_It’s hard to study with such a captivating view in front of me._

She stared at his answer, unable to think of what to say next. Was he talking about her? She was wearing an old grey sweatshirt and her hair was held up in a bun. She wasn’t even wearing makeup. Or maybe he was mocking her. ‘Captivating’ wasn’t necessarily a compliment after all.

After a long minute of internal debate, she decided on ignoring him, and went back to her book. She really needed to finish that essay.

**_November_ **

The stranger was back at the library most days, but he was alone. In the section where most people were working in groups. And she’d caught him throwing quick glances at her a few times, when he thought she wasn’t looking. She should’ve been annoyed, but if she was being honest, she too found herself looking out the window more than usual when he was sitting there.

There hadn’t been any more notes between them, but his comment about finding her captivating had stuck with her, and sometimes, she found herself mindlessly arranging her hair or changing her posture slightly when she knew he was over there.

Not today though.

Because today was the last day before her midterms, and she was late in her studies, and she couldn’t have cared less if he was looking at her or not. She hadn’t washed her hair in a week, and she was actually wearing a ridiculous onesie her roommate had gotten her as a goofy present and she had sworn never to wear outside of her bedroom.

Oh well.

She was lost in a commentary on female painters in France in 1748 when a movement across the patio caught her eyes.

_Nice overalls_

She rolled her eyes and grabbed something to write.

_They’re unicorn onesies_

He laughed.

_Way more sophisticated, you’re right. I should’ve known better_

She answered in under fifteen seconds.

_Less than 24h before exam, no time to argue with you_

And she went back to her book. 

When she looked back up a moment later, she saw that he was gone. But he’d stuck a paper on the glass. 

_Good luck_

**_December_ **

They started talking more after that day. Well, talking was a bit of an exaggeration to describe what they were doing. Sticking papers on windows wasn’t exactly what she would have called a normal conversation.

He was always the one starting it, and she felt grateful for it. Because for all that she loved writing back, she didn’t think she would be able to grab the pen first.

The snow had started to fall over the weekend, and it was covering the patio between them. The night had fallen already, even though it was only 5 p.m., and the only lights were the ones from their respective sides of the library. They hadn’t talked that day, he was focused on the screen of his computer, visibly absorbed in his work.

Normally, Feyre wouldn’t have written anything. They didn’t speak everytime, and she was okay with it. But today was special. She really wanted to talk to him today.

_What are you working on?_

She waited for him to see the paper for a long minute until finally he lifted his eyes to her and she saw him taking in her words.

_Economy final essay due tomorrow morning. Still haven’t started it_

She let out a startled laugh.

_Aren’t you a bit late?_

He smiled at her.

_Not my first time winging it!_

And then he wrote on a second paper, before she had time to answer.

_What about you? Thought you’d already finished everything_

She had. Three days earlier. And she hadn’t wanted him to remember that. But of course he had, and now she had to tell him why she’d come.

_Didn’t feel like being alone tonight_

A small frown on his forehead.

_Oh?_

_It’s my birthday today_

And because he just stared at her with a small smile and a puzzled look, she took back her paper and added:

_My roommate’s out of town and I had nothing waiting for me at home. Hoped you’d be here_

He smiled, a genuine one this time, and she felt a feeling of joy spread through her body at the sight.

_Happy birthday then_

And then,

_Do you want me to come over to your side?_

She felt her throat tighten. It had always been a silent rule between them. They stayed on their side, they didn’t meet. She didn’t even know his name. And now she was conflicted, because she really really wanted him to hug her. But…

Their little conversation felt like a dream, a small bubble of calm in the constant storm that was her life. And if he came over to her side, the bubble wouldn’t hold. She didn’t want that. Not yet.

_It’s fine, thanks_

**_January_ **

She arrived at her booth one Thursday to find a package waiting for her, with a note pinned on it. She knew the handwriting well by now.

_Sorry I came over to your side, but I found this over the holidays and thought of you._

She sat down and looked over, but he wasn’t there. Was it on purpose? Maybe he didn’t want to see her reaction. She gingerly grabbed the box and opened it, to find a present that made her chuckle. It was a blue sweater with a unicorn drawn at the front.

She felt heat creep up her cheeks. He’d thought of her. Outside of their conversation, he was thinking of her.

Just like she was thinking of him, almost every night. Of his gorgeous smile and the way he’d pass his hand through his hair when he tried to focus, and the fact that he loved to go to the cinema and had written her reviews about his favorite movie so long that she’d struggled to read it through the glass.

She thought of him often, and now he knew that he did too, and he’d given her this amazing thoughtful present and she couldn’t even say thank you.

She toyed with the idea of going to his side and leave a word. But she wasn’t ready for that. So she decided she’d wear the sweater the next time she’d see him.

**_February_ **

_I’d like to hear your laugh_

The note came without warning, one cold winter morning of February. He’d told her about some embarrassing thing that had happened in his class that morning, and she’d laughed. And then he’d written this, and now it had been a long minute and she still hadn’t answered.

He looked back down and added something.

_In my head it’s the most beautiful sound I can imagine. I’d like to hear it for real_

She felt herself blushing. Because she too had started to imagine his voice, like a low rumble, vibrating with intensity, but soft and warm at the same time. And she wanted to hear it.

So she gathered her things, got up, and without a look at him, walked away.

**_Rhysand_ **

She’d walked away.

For months, he’s been longing for the weird kind of conversation they’d established, loving the moments when they talked and cherishing every stolen glance in her direction.

That beautiful girl, with long, brown, messy hair, and a unicorn onesie. The girl with clear eyes that seemed to be blue, and freckles on her nose.

He’d loved their moments together, and he’d wanted more, but he felt that she didn’t want more. For whatever reason he’d never dared to ask, she wanted to keep their relationship as it was.

But today she’d been so pretty in her red winter dress and he’d cheeks flushed by the cold, he hadn’t resisted telling her how he truly felt.

And now she was gone.

He buried his head in his arms on the table, and let his mind wonder. God, he could kick himself for being so stupid and ruin everything. He’d known she was shy and yet he’d pushed and -

“I really don’t know how you can work on this place, it’s so noisy,” a feminine voice interrupted his thought, and his head shot up. He looked to his left, and there she was, standing in front of him, her bag on her shoulder, her hair as messy as usual, a smile on her lips. Not believing his eyes, he got up, and found himself towering over her.

Her eyes were grey, not blue. And she had more freckles than he’d realized.

“I… I can’t focus when there’s no noise around.” His voice came out a mere whisper and he mentally slapped himself. One chance to make a good first impression and he was ruining it.

But she was still smiling.

“I’m Feyre.”

“Rhysand.”

They both stayed silent for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes as if they were seeing each other for the first time. Then Feyre talked again.

“So, Rhysand. Should we grab a coffee?”


End file.
